Harness for earth boring machine



June 27, 1967 o, KQLPE 3,327,788

HARNESS FOR EARTH BORING MACHINE Filed Dec. 15, 1965 3 heets-Sheet Fig.7

a y Q June 27, 1967 O KOLPE 3,327,788

HARNESS FOR EARTH BORING MACHINE Filed Dec. 15, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 0. KOLPE June 27, 1967 HARNESS FOR EARTH BORING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet Filed Dec. 15, 1965 United States Patent 3,327,788 HARNESS FOR EARTH BORING MACHINE Olof Kolpe, Parkvagen 11, Filipstad, Sweden Filed Dec. 15, 1965, Ser. No. 514,086 Claims priority, application Sweden, Dec. 22, 1964, 15,508/ 64 1 Claim. (Cl. 173-30) The invention relates to a harness for an earth boring machine, particularly of the kind used in the planting of seedlings for reforestation, and the object of the invention is partly to take the weight of the boring machine off the hands of the operator and to transfer it to his body.

The essential characterising feature of the harness consists in that it comprises two spaced, substantially parallel, rigid tubes firmly connected to each other, said tubes having substantially straight portions adapted for being held in an approximately vertical position along opposite sides of the back of the operator by means of shoulder and waist straps or similar attachment means, the upper portions of said tubes being arc-shaped and extending forwardly above the shoulders of the operator and having downwardly directed ends in front of the operator, straps, cords or similar flexible means being provided for suspending the boring machine to said tube ends.

A preferred embodiment of the harness according to the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is an elevational rear view of the harness, FIG. 2 is a front view showing the harness while supporting an earth boring machine, and FIG. 3 is a corresponding lateral view.

The harness essentially consists of a rigid metal tube structure provided with means for attachment to the body of the operator and with means for suspending the boring machine. The rigid tube structure is composed of two substantially straight vertical tubes 11, 13 which are held parallelly and at a mutual distance of 30 to 40 centimeters by means of transverse connecting tubes 15, 17. The tube 15 preferably is integral with the vertical tubes 11, 13, whereas the tube 17 is welded to said tubes. The two transverse tubes 15, 17 are bent backwards so as to form an arc, whereby they do not bear against the back of the operator when carrying the harness, but allow the centre part of his back partly to project beyond the plane determined by the tubes 11, 13.

The tube structure is meant to rest upon and be attached to the body of the bearer, partly at the level of his shoulders, partly at the level of his waist. Therefore it is provided with an upper transverse flexible supporting ribbon or girth 19 which is placed at the level of the tube 17 and the ends of which are put around and attached to the tubes 11, 13, the ribbon ends being slit and a section placed on each side of the transverse tube 17, whereby the ribbon is prevented from sliding along the vertical tubes. Said ribbon is somewhat longer than the distance between the tubes 11, 13, wherefore it will suit the curvature of the back of the operator and evenly distribute the pressure thereagainst. A corresponding supporting ribbon 21 extends between the lower ends of the vertical tubes 11, 13, i.e. where they merge into the transverse tube 15. Said last-mentioned supporting ribbon forms a portion of a girth adapted for being strapped around the waist of the operator. The two lateral portions 23, 25 of said girth either form integral extensions of the supporting ribbon 21 or are connected thereto by means of shackles 27. The free ends of the girth portions 23, 25 can be fastened to each other by means of a strap 29 and a buckle 31. There are also two shoulder straps 33, 35, which have their one ends permanently fastened to the middle of the tube 17 and their other ends detachably connected to the shackles 37 by means of attachment hooks 37 and strap loops 39, the latter being adjustable in order to apply a suitable portion of the weight of the carried boring machine upon the shoulders and the upper part of the back of the bearer.

The straight tube portions 11, 13 are integrally united with upper curved tube portions 41, 43 which extend in arc shape above the shoulders of the bearer on opposite sides of his head and then downwardly. Said curved tube portions 41, 43 extend upwardly that far beyond the transverse tube 17 and the attachment point of the shoulder straps that in use they are at least mainly situated above the level of the shoulders of the bearer. Furthermore, said curved tube portions diverge, so that their downwardly directed ends, which are situated approximately at the level of the shoulders and in front of the bearer, are spaced somewhat more than corresponding to the shoulder width of a medium-sized man.

Fastened to the downwardly directed free ends of the tube arcs 41, 43 are the upper ends of suspension straps 45, 47, by means of which the boring machine is carried. The boring machine shown consists of a boring tool 49 attached to the lower end of a shaft 51 which is rotated by an internal combustion engine 55 placed upon a supporting table 53. Said table is provided at opposite sides with U-shaped handles 57, 59 so located relatively to the gravity centre of the boring unit that the shaft 51 tends to take a truly vertical position when the boring unit is held by the hands only.

The suspension straps 45, 47 end with hooks 60, 61. The fore ends of the handles 57, 59 have studs 63 upon which said hooks can be hooked up, the suspension straps thus being fastened to points upon the boring unit located in front of the transverse plane extending through its centre of gravity, which involves that the shaft will take a forwardly and downwardly inclined position when the boring unit is supported merely by the suspension straps 45, 47. From the view point of protection this is advantageous, because the motor-driven boring tool is withdrawn from the feet of the operator. When moving the boring machine from one planting spot to another, the operator partly carries the machine by his hands and also pushes the same forwardly away from his body, the remaining greater part of the weight being transferred via the suspension straps and the rest of the harness to the trunk of the operator. The tension of the suspension straps effects the above-mentioned slanting position of the shaft 51, which position may be maintained also during the boring work.

Of course, the above-described embodiment may be modified as to its details. The various connecting and strapping means may be of any known design. The suspension straps may be replaced by cords, chains or similar flexible means. Moreover, their attachment points may be displaced to the fore edge of the supporting table 53 proper. However, the design shown in the drawings, comprising a pair of straps or similar flexible suspension means widely spaced apart is preferable, owing to the free space left for the movements of the arms of the operator required among others for attending to the motor.

I claim:

A body supported earth boring machine comprising:

(a) a harness which includes two transversely spaced generally parallel rigid tubes; rigid means firmly connecting the tubes to one another; each tube having a lower, substantially straight vertical portion which constitutes a majority of the length thereof and an upper forwardly and downwardly arched portion, the two tubes being constructed and arranged to be positioned so that the lower portions are adjacent opposite margins of the back of the user and the upper portions divergently extend above and over the shoulin adjustable loops ders of the user spaced from the shoulders of the user i and terminate in front of the user at ends spaced further apart laterally than the average shoulder width of a full-grown man; waist strap means and shoulder strap means operatively connected to the tubes for removably securing the harness upon the body of the user, the shoulder strap means including a girth secured to and extending between the tubes and constructed and arranged to rest across the upper part of the back of the user; two elongated flexible means each having opposite ends, each flexible means being attached by one, upper end to a respective tube arched portion end; and

(b) an earth boring machine comprising a shaft, a boring tool mounted on the lower end of the shaft, support table means mounted on the upper end of the shaft, and two oppositely laterally extending handles mounted on the support table and forming a part thereof; said flexible means each being secured by the other, lower ends thereof to said support table at laterally spaced points thereon located in front of an imaginary line interconnecting the centers of the handles whereby said machine, when being moved as the user walks between boring sites, is supported via said flexible means with the shaft extending forwardly and downwardly so that the boring tool is spaced safely away from the feet of the user.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 635,591 10/1899 Rasmussen 224'-5 2,208,962 '7/ 1940 De Finetti 22425 2,566,464 9/ 1951 Redenback.

3,030,109 4/ 1962 Albitz 2245 X FOREIGN PATENTS 667,986 11/ 1938 Germany.

GERALD M. FORLENZA, Primary Examiner.

20 F. WERNER, Assistant Examiner. 

